President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (18 September) the United States is considering a request from Poland for a permanent US military presence in the fellow NATO country, acknowledging that he shares Poland’s concerns about possible Russian aggression.

Polish President Andrzej Duda asked Trump for a permanent US base during a White House meeting, offering to name it “Fort Trump,” and explaining it would be a bulwark against what he considers a threat from Russia.

'Fort Trump' in Poland? Polish President Andrzej Duda wants to set up a permanent U.S. military base named after President Trump. pic.twitter.com/Zg7vOc2hJ6

Trump said he agreed with Duda that Moscow had “acted aggressively” in the region and said the request for a base was under consideration. He said he appreciated Duda’s offer to put more than $2 billion into the project.

“We’re looking at it very seriously, I know Poland likes the idea very much, and it’s something that we are considering, yes,” Trump told reporters.

The Kremlin expressed concern on Monday (28 May) over media reports that Poland has requested a permanent US military presence on its soil, saying NATO’s expansion towards Russia’s borders undermined stability in Europe.

Poland joined NATO in 1999 along with Hungary and the Czech Republic, and since then other former communist states, including Baltic republics bordering Russia, have joined despite Moscow’s strong opposition.

Poland has repeatedly requested a permanent US military presence on its soil. The United States currently rotates troops through Poland temporarily but permanently stationing forces there would be expensive because of costs that can include housing for families, schools and hospitals.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the US military was studying options with Poland but cautioned that no decisions had been made.

“It’s not just about a base. It’s about training rangers, it’s about maintenance facilities at the base, all these kinds of things. There’s a host of details we’ve got to study alongside the Poles,” Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.

Trump and Duda also expressed shared concerns about Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline which they said could make Europe overly reliant on Moscow for energy and expose it to the risks of what Duda called “political blackmail” with shipments.

US will not sanction EU companies

But Trump said the United States was not looking to sanction companies that participated in the project with Russia. “We just think it’s very unfortunate for the people of Germany that Germany is paying billions and billions of dollars a year for their energy to Russia,” he said.

US President Donald Trump launched a strong verbal attack on Germany on Wednesday (11 July) for its support to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, aimed at bringing more Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

The Swiss-based Nord Stream 2 company has signed financing agreements for the project with ENGIE, OMV, Shell, Uniper and Wintershall.

In a joint statement released later on Tuesday, after the press conference, Trump and Duda said they will continue coordinating efforts “to counter energy projects that threaten our mutual security, such as Nord Stream 2.”

Trump also said the United States was considering a visa waiver program for Poland.

Poland, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria are the only EU countries whose citizens need visas to visit the United States. EU rules require reciprocity in visa policy, but the EU executive is turning a blind eye in the US case.

EURACTIV's editorial content is independent from the views of our sponsors.

Media is a pillar of democracy – as long as it can function properly. Now more than ever we need unbiased, expert information on how and why the European Union functions. This information should not be behind a paywall, and we remain committed to providing our content for free.

We know our readers value our reporting. We know journalism that covers the EU in a clear, unbiased way is critical to the future of the European Union. And we know your support is critical for ensuring this independent and free journalism.

Don’t take the media sector for granted. It was already fragile before the coronavirus pandemic. And as people can’t meet, media companies have lost a major source of revenue: events. EURACTIV is supported by a mix of revenue streams including sponsorships, online advertising, EU-funded projects, and policy debates. All of these sources of revenue are impacted by the current crisis.

While media struggles, disinformation thrives. We are already seeing fearmongering, fake news about the EU response, and increased threats to freedom of the press.

For more than two decades we have provided free, independent, multilingual reporting on the European Union. We continue to believe in Europe, and we hope you do too.

Your financial support at this critical time will allow our network of newsrooms across Europe to continue their work when Europe needs it most.

Comments

I feel really bad for people in this economy, I like everyone have been struggling. But I tell you what I’ve done I’ve taken life into my own hands being responsible for myself. I knew trading was the answer for me and I’ve purchased different courses at different places and the best course I’ve found by far is at the website Emini S&P Trading Secret, just Google them and find them and do like I did they get started trading for yourself and take life into your own hands.

so, Poland gets EU money (14 billion €, if I am not mistaken) and uses it to pay for a USA military presence in the EU.
Poland must be kicked out of he EU. With countries like Poland and Hungary, the EU is doomed to failure or to irrelevance.

Contribute to our reporting

The need for fast, accurate and balanced information is always important. We value EURACTIV's good, independent journalism and support this initiative

Mella Frewen, Director General of FoodDrinkEurope

EURACTIV plays a vital role in bringing Europe closer to its citizens. EURACTIV has long recognised that the story of Europe has to be told across the continent, and not just in Brussels. We need to support a truly European and informed debate.